Earlier this week we had a near tragedy at my school. With no warning, an 11 year old boy collapsed in class. The teacher called the office for the nurse to come immediately, and it was obvious she was frantic. When the nurse (and the principal, assistant principal, and security guard) got there the boy had no pulse, wasn't breathing, and was already turning blue. The nurse commenced CPR and when that wasn't working she sent someone to run to her office for an AED (portable defibrillator). She had to use the defibrillator 4 times to restart his heart.
Back in the office, I called 911 although I wasn't sure what exactly was happening. The ambulance arrived and took him to the hospital, and they airlifted him to Charleston after he was stabilized.
It turned out the boy had suffered cardiac arrest. Had there not been an AED available (and someone who knew how to use it) he would have died. Our school nurse saved his life.
Here's a link to the news article about it:
Luke was actually able to FaceTime with his class from his hospital bed in Charleston yesterday! It's a miracle that he survived. Our school nurse has been very modest about what she did, but there's no doubt she saved this child's life.
I'm so glad the boy survived! Thank goodness for that nurse! I think more of the people in your school should be trained on how to use that AED.
ReplyDeleteWell, we always have a skilled RN in the building to handle such dire emergencies. When the nurse has to be out, the district sends a substitute.
DeleteIncredible. So fortunate to have a skilled nurse there. That poor kid. 11 years old!
ReplyDeleteThe assistant principal followed the ambulance to the hospital, and when she got there and went inside, Luke's mom and dad were standing by his bed, crying. Luke looked up and saw the AP and said, "Hey Mrs Smith!" and waved. :) He was okay...his parents, not so much. Kids are resilient.
DeleteYes, an absolute hero! Glad the little boy survived!
ReplyDeleteYes!
DeleteAmazing story! I'm so glad it turned out well.
ReplyDeleteIt's an incredible story, isn't it?!
DeleteYour school knows how to respond to an emergency. Very impressive teamwork saved this boys life. Your school nurse is a true hero.
ReplyDeleteI agree with everything you said, Susan!
DeleteUnbelievable! I am so happy for that family that there was an AED on the premises and that the nurse knew how to use it. This could so easily have turned out so differently and tragically.
ReplyDeleteOh, Mary. You should have seen the principal when it was over. She looked like she'd seen a ghost, but walked calmly into her office....and then broke down crying. It was terrifying for the staff that witnessed it.
DeleteIncredible story and why there need to be nurses in every building at all times.
ReplyDeleteI'll say this: our district has WONDERFUL nurses. The nurses at my last school were top notch.
DeletePraise be! For the life of Luke Barrett. Most of the time those AEDs just sit somewhere, week in and week out - never being used. How wonderful that it was available and functional and the school nurse remembered exactly how to use it.
ReplyDeleteP.S. Do you speak just like Misty Barrett?
I had to go listen to the video of the mother speaking to answer your question, and no, no I don't! I have a southern accent but it's not nearly that thick. :)
DeleteThe nurse said it had been years since she had last used an AED, but thankfully she knew what to do. The article says she used it twice, but she really had to use it four times to bring Luke back. Everyone really and truly thought he was a goner. It was a scary, emotional day at school.
Thank goodness your school had the AED and the school nurse knew how to use it! That is an amazing story!
ReplyDeleteOnce I saw it was all over the news, I felt comfortable sharing it here. It IS an amazing story!
DeleteYou have had your share of interesting events of late. I read the news article. Thank goodness your school had an AED and staff who could use it.
ReplyDeleteInteresting events...I guess that's so. When I figured out how dire the situation had been (I didn't witness it since I was in my office) my stomach was in absolute knots for the rest of the day. There's been too much sickness and death in my life just recently! I'm so thankful Luke is going to be okay.
DeleteGosh, thank goodness she was there. Well done to all involved!
ReplyDeleteYou wouldn't believe all the attention and recognition the nurse is getting. Even the American Heart Association reached out to her and our principal with their congratulations and gratitude.
DeleteWell done to everyone who helped that little boy survive. How are his class mates? Did they see all the emergency going on? They must be traumatised if so!
ReplyDeleteThe kids were quickly lined up and walked to another classroom by their teacher, and a couple of days later they got to FaceTime with Luke from his hospital bed! Hopefully they weren't too scared and then they got to see that he was ok.
DeleteWow! Scary! Good for the nurse and the rest of you for managing the situation so well.
ReplyDeleteIt was a team effort, but the nurse was the REAL hero. She's super modest about it, keeps saying it was everything "everyone" did that saved him, that she was only doing her job, etc etc......but there's no doubt it was mainly her.
DeleteGod, what a trauma for everyone.
ReplyDeleteI've never seen my principal look like that. When it was all over, she walked stoically into her office....and then broke down crying. I know that all the staff members that saw the kid lying there, blue and not breathing, will never, ever forget it.
DeleteHaving an AED and training how to use it, along with CPR can be the difference in life or death. You never want to have to use your training, but by God when you do, it kicks in. The other kids must have been terrified - and I hope seeing that all of you took the right steps gives them a feeling of safety. Well done, all of you.
ReplyDeleteI actually heard yesterday that the other children first alerted the teacher that something was happening to Luke, then when the teacher ran to his side, one of the kids pressed the call button to the office and asked for the nurse! Once the nurse and admins were gathered around and starting CPR, the teacher and another staff member lined the kids up and walked them to another classroom to wait. Those children did a GREAT job and we're proud of them. Luckily they got to FaceTime with Luke from his hospital bed a couple of days later. And of course no one has told them how very nearly Luke came to dying....only that he was very sick.
DeleteMost facilities, including schools, now carry AEDs. We have 3 in the store at 3 different locations to provide easy access. Isn't science wonderful!
ReplyDeleteScience is, indeed, wonderful!
DeleteIt's a miracle that he's alive and going to be okay.
ReplyDeleteGoodness!! Luke's parents must still be under some sort of shock; I know how that feels, "if it's happened once, it can happen again" - Luke's near-death sounds so much like what happened to my late husband, only that Steve was 41, not 11, and he was home alone with nobody around to help or call an ambulance.
ReplyDeleteAt large office buildings, in stores, shopping malls etc. in Germany, AEDs are usually installed prominently. And apparently, they are easy and fool-proof to use, with simple illustrations showing it. I must admit that (even with the above mentioned experience) I have never looked at them properly, but I really should, shouldn't I.
what a tale! I hope the lesson is learned and passed on to others.
ReplyDeleteWhat a terrifying experience for everyone involved. The presence of mind in those children, though! I hope the school takes a moment to celebrate its heroes. All of them. I am thrilled for the happy ending.
ReplyDeleteWhat a harrowing story. There are a lot of heroes here, aren't there. The presence of mind of those children is amazing to me. I am glad this story had a good outcome. So many don't.
ReplyDeleteYou are all heroes! What an amazing story! I feel bad for the kid, but at least he's going to go on to have a 'rest of his life' now thanks to that nurse and everyone involved. Way to go!!
ReplyDeleteWhat a blessing that the nurse and equipment were right there, the nurse is a hero.
ReplyDelete